10 Wildest Car Chase Locations from Movies

April 30, 2013

The Italian Job - Turin, Italy

Many classic car fans consider the chase sequence in the original 1969 heist film The Italian Job to be one of the best there is, and you'll have two visit two different European countries if you want to see where it was shot. The first portion, where the cars race through sewer tunnels, was shot in the Sowe Valley Sewer Duplication system in the English Midlands. The remainder took place in the lovely streets of Turin, Italy, 87 miles east of Milan.

Mad Max - Victoria, Australia

Most of the scenes where Mad Max chases Nightrider in the 1979 film Mad Max were filmed in the Geelong region of Victoria, Australia (near Melbourne). If you want to imagine a post-apocalyptic Australia, head toward the coast for a scenic drive along the Great Ocean Road.

The Bourne Identity - Paris, France

Paris served as the setting for much of The Bourne Identity, and the famed chase sequence was shot at many locations throughout the city, including the steep steps at rue des Couronnes, Place Vendome, Passage Plantin and the banks of the Seine. Director Doug Liman admits that anyone familiar with Paris will recognize that many of the locations don't connect in reality, but they made for one nail-biter of a car chase.

The Blues Brothers - Chicago, IL

The destructive car chases depicted in the original 1980 Blues Brothers made this one of the most expensive comedy movies ever made. More than 70 cars were used to film the scene in which the Bluesmobile is being chased by state troopers through Chicago and ultimately into a shopping mall. Lower Wacker Drive, Daley Plaza and Lake Street were all used as filming locations.

The French Connection - Brooklyn, NY

The 1971 thriller The French Connection contains what's often cited as the best car chase scene in cinematic history. It occurs when the detective played by Gene Hackman chases a speeding train down an elevated rail line to catch the rogue hit man aboard. Much of the chase scene was filmed over a period of five months on the elevated tracks above Stillwell Avenue, 86th Street and New Utrecht Avenue in Brooklyn.

Vanishing Point - Deserts of Nevada

If you want to re-create the iconic chase scenes from the 1971 film Vanishing Point, you'll have to hit the asphalt of the Nevada desert – though you probably won't have any helicopters chasing after you. The film revolves around a driver trying to make it from Denver to San Francisco in 15 hours, the police in hot pursuit most of the way.

Ronin - Paris, France

From car chase master John Frankenheimercomes Ronin, yet another iconic car chase film. This time, the action occurs on the streets of Paris where the scenes where shot using some 300 stunt drivers. Watch the film, and you might notice Robert DeNiro's character whizzing by the Grande Arche de la Defense.

Smokey and the Bandit - Helen, GA

When Burt Reynolds (a.k.a. the Bandit) is hauling 400 cases of Coors beer illegally across state lines in Smokey and the Bandit, he gets chased by highway patrolmen (a.k.a. Smokey) along the highways of Georgia, near the towns of Helen, Cumming and Jonesboro. You may not see it in the film, but Helen is fashioned after a charming Alpine village.

Gone in 60 Seconds - Long Beach, CA

After Randall "Memphis" Raines steals a 1967 Mustang named Eleanor in the 2000 film Gone in 60 Seconds, he finds himself fleeing detectives through the streets of Long Beach, California. The climactic scene ends when Memphis jumps Eleanor over a traffic jam on the Vincent Thomas Bridge.